New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-13
IN IRISH FISHING STORY.

The baroness Burdctt-Coutts has added announcer
item TO the LONG catalogue Of her good deeds She
has placed a large sum Of money within tne reach
of the fishermen OF Donegal, on the northwest co"oO
OF Ireland. II is in the hands OF local trustees,
headed by a Roman Catholic priest, VINO VIII
distribute IL to the fishermen in such sums u
they may need 10 procure boats ana hc's ""'
other requirements. No usury VIII pe deniahueu'
hut tic money will be repaid to the trustees in
easy instruments, and by them returned TO inc
Baroness Burdett Coutts when its mission OF aid
:. ended. thus il Is not an aims, given as TO
paupcrs, but that most useful Of all beneiactlons
holm IN self -hclpfulncss. II will enable many
mon now destitute to engage in a profitable ousi'
ness. and through them largely contribute TO the
establishment of industrial prosperity Throughout
a large portion Of the island.
Az the chief agent Of the Baroness Burdett-
Coutts In this work Is n Roman Catholic priest IL
Il interesting to recall that the pioneer oil moderh
Irish fishermen was a clergyman OF The Established
protcstant) Church. Nearly generation mas no"
passed since the Rev. Mr. Sing. OF County WICKLOW,
at his own expense, labor and peril introduced
trawi fishing at the Isles Of Arran In Galway bae
I'm 70 that time the waters OF the Irish Coast had
been profitably 6shed by almost every one puu 'ie
,rieb Themselves The fishermen Of England,
scotland and Wales had amassed fortunes there
and even some from France and the Low Countries
wore glad to pay for the privilege Of casting nets
in those tecming seas But the Irish, unable To
procure seagoing boats and nets. could only nsh
along shore and from their wretched skins, with
hook and line. Mr. Sing determined to bring
about q change. So lac bought large yacht, the
GeoIgana, equipped her with nets and o'her
appliances for trawl fishing, manned her with a
stout crew, and began operations at the Isles OF
Armn. The Claddagh fishermen with their trump
cry hooks and lines, did not take kindly TO TINS
innovation. They even made an attacR III
force intending to kill the captain and crew ana
destroy the yacht. In this they were happily
defeated by n breeze which just In the nick OF
time sprany up and bore the yacht beyond their
reach Mr. Sing pcrsevered. lie caught fish in
abundance shirsocd IL by rail to Dublin, and thence
To Liverpool where he found ready market, and
thus established O handsomely paying industry.
10 follow this example has, OF course, been
impossible TO the average Irish fisherman, simply
through lack Of means to procure the needed OUT
it, Now and then 1t has been proposed that The
British Government should advance the funds In
the form of loans But English apathy toward
Irish interests and the rival interests of English
fishermen. have served to defeat all such projects
Private bcnefactions have done something. however.
A few years ago the Baroness Burdett -Coutts aided
the fishermen of the Cork coast In q way like that
described above. The result has been the building
of a valuable Irish fishing feet at Baltimore, and
not single default in rcpayng the loans There
IL every reason therefore to hope that her similar
venture In behalf of the Donegal fishermen viii be
crowned with similar success.